Mark – Be Still…

Mark 16:1-8 – Jesus is Alive!

Read Mark 16:1-8

What would have been your reaction when finding the empty tomb? Shock. Fear. It’s hard to put ourselves there truly because we know how the story plays out. We know the empty tomb is exactly what we should have expected. Jesus told us after all. But where was Jesus now?

I’m not going to dive into the “why we have different endings” discussion. Neither of the added endings say anything contrary or surprising in light of what we know about Jesus’ life on earth, both before and after his death. Hallelujah, Jesus is alive!

Mark 15 – King of The Jews

Read Mark 15

It didn’t seem right to shorten today’s reading. It’s Holy Week and Good Friday. It’s good for us to remember Jesus’ final hours. We can almost feel the agony if we take time to really reflect. What was Jesus, the King of Jews, feeling as he endured the mocking, the abuse, the pain coursing through every inch of his body?

These verses take us from Jesus’ second trial to his death on the cross, followed by his burial. It was only a span of hours. The leading priests, Pilate, the Roman officer, and Joseph of Arimathea all played their roles perfectly to complete God’s plan. Even the crowds of people were engaged in making sure a known criminal walked free rather than Jesus. Where had Jesus’ popularity gone?

Mark 14:22-42 – His Last Evening

Read Mark 14:22-42

Jesus spent his last evening with his friends celebrating the Passover meal together. That’s where our story picks up. As we walk through Holy Week, this reading falls on Maundy Thursday. Imagine you were there with Jesus. There’s a lot happening, and we only scratch the surface of what’s yet to come for Jesus that night.

This is a story we read each year during Holy Week, and perhaps other times if we happen to be studying one of the gospels. It’s a story that never gets old. It’s the buildup to what becomes the foundation of our faith. Every second matters. Every second is holy.

Mark 14:1-9 – Honoring Jesus

Read Mark 14:1-9

What’s the most valuable thing you own? Would you be willing to give it away to honor Jesus? The woman in our reading did just that. It was a surprising act to everyone, except Jesus. He was blessed and explained to the onlookers the beauty of what she had done. Truth be told, we are still talking about this woman and her extravagant faith all these years later.

What do you think about Jesus’ rebuke? We’re not told here who was sitting at the table, but Jesus said, “You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But you will not always have me.” What a wake-up call to help them realize their focus had been all wrong. Rather than fuss about earthly things, Jesus wanted them to focus on him in that moment. How much better it is for us, too, when we focus on Jesus rather than the world.

Mark 12:28-31 -Do This!

Read Mark 12:28-31

We are several days into Holy Week, or “Semana Santa” as my girls at the orphanage remind me. Don’t worry, they aren’t confusing this holiday with jolly old St. Nick. Holy Week is the time between Jesus’ triumphant arrival in Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt (Palm Sunday) and his glorious resurrection celebrated on Easter. In Mexico, this week is a big deal. Many businesses, schools, and government offices will close this week and next in honor of the most precious holiday, Easter. It’s not about bunnies and pastel colored eggs!

Holy Week is the perfect opportunity to reflect on some of the events Jesus experienced before his death. It’s hard to appreciate the true joy of the empty tomb on Easter and what that means to our faith without walking through some of the dark moments Jesus endured for us. Today’s reading is part of the teaching Jesus did in his final days. What an important message for us!